by Bruce Schaefer
Following are photography-related exhibits and events occurring now, or soon, in the extended Washington D.C. area. These include gallery and museum exhibits, college exhibits, special events, and sometimes exhibits or events to photograph yourself. Also look at the previous months’ Exhibits & Events columns for ongoing exhibits that aren’t repeated here.
- Exhibits & Events – December 2019
- Exhibits & Events – November 2019
- Exhibits & Events – October 2019
Following these are a number of online photography award winners for armchair adventures.
ARTHUR M. SACKLER GALLERY – MY IRAN: SIX WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS
1050 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC
August 10, 2019 – February 9, 2020
The artists featured in My Iran: Six Women Photographers explore the complexities of life within and outside their home country. From the dynamism of the street to the quiet corners of distant memories, the works highlight various ways in which artists use photography to respond to personal and political realities. Newsha Tavakolian and Malekeh Nayiny revisit the concept of the family photo album to reveal deeply moving individual stories. Hengameh Golestan’s shots of women protesting in the streets of Tehran following the 1979 Revolution capture the spirit and force of a social and political movement that still resonates today. Shadi Ghadirian and Gohar Dashti offer wry commentaries on post-revolutionary society, while Mitra Tabrizian composes evocative studies of displaced Iranians in London.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART
950 Independence Ave. SW
Beninese artist Romuald Hazoumè’s monumental sculpture of a snake eating its tail was fashioned from recycled and flattened steel jerry cans, used to smuggle crude oil from Nigeria to Benin by bicycle. More than 12 feet tall, the snake functions both as a critique of current environmental and economic issues and a nod to the ancient tradition of African maskmaking, several examples of which you will find elsewhere in this museum. Like those other masks — which can represent the spirits of ancestors, mythological beings or gods — Hazoumè’s sculpture includes cans that have been painted by their original owners in bright colors to represent orishas, or local deities.
ONLINE PHOTO SITES:
The Architectural Photography Awards 2019
https://www.photocrowd.com/photo-competitions/photography-awards/apa-2019/categories/ .
The overall winner of The Architectural Photography Awards 2019 is chosen from one of the four main categories. There is also a separate portfolio prize, and a mobile photography category awarding two winners.
National Geographic’s Best Photos of the Year, 2019
100 photos are chosen from submissions by 106 photographers, 121 stories, and more than two million images taken over the course of a year.
10th Epson International Pano Awards
Advances in digital photography and editing software have resulted in an ever-increasing rise in the popularity of image stitching, especially in the panoramic format. VR ‘immersive’ photography also continues to excite and develop at a rapid pace, and panoramic film photography remains alive and well.
The EPSON International Pano Awards showcases the work of panoramic photographers worldwide and is the largest competition for panoramic photography.
Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019
http://www.redbullillume.com/contest/winner-award-ceremony.html
Red Bull Illume is the world’s greatest adventure and action sports imagery contest. It showcases the most creative and captivating images on the planet, while illuminating the passion, lifestyle and culture behind the photographers that shoot them.
The Agora Urban Photo Awards 2019
https://cms.newatlas.com/digital-cameras/best-urban-city-photography-2019-agora-gallery/#gallery
The top 50 urban photos from photography social network Agora span an incredible array of subjects and styles. Covering everything from drone shots to surreal portraits, these spectacular images encapsulate the diverse and lively energy of city life.